Hard-drive?

[Bridgemute]

Does this guarantee the eventual release of a hard-drive from Nintendo?

http://wii.ign.com/articles/826/826148p1.html

 

[mrpiddly]

a small flash harddrive would be nice, but the wii doesnt need the same storage capabilities as other counsels.

The wii was never supposed to be your entire media center that way the ps3 or 360 were.

 

[[DT]]

The games seem like pretty simple designs that wouldn't require much storage space, *but* I could see a simple patch that allows accessing the SD slot for direct play (vs. the current implementation of using it for backup).

Seeing as how a 2GB SD card is ~$15-18 (or even only $25-30 at walk-in retail pricing), that would be the way to go.

Remember what the N64 did with a 64MB cart? I think having 1 or 2 GB of storage space, would be plenty for WiiWare type games.

~DT

 

[[DT]]

To be honest, since the Wii lacks strong media functions, I'm not sure what all the interest is in a HD. It's another peripheral to organize, they generate extra heat/noise. Even for saving games it seems like +massive+ overkill.

If it were standard, developers could do things like de-compress texture maps to it (like a PC or PS3) to accelerate graphics, etc., but as an add-on, it would always be relegated to "generic storage".

~DT

 

[Link_of_Hyrule]

I can almost guarantee that with that high graphic Final Fantasy game coming out as Wii Ware there will be some sort of new storage for the Wii

 

[Monsteroids]

I can almost guarantee that with that high graphic Final Fantasy game coming out as Wii Ware there will be some sort of new storage for the Wii

Agreed. :O

 

[[DT]]

I can almost guarantee that with that high graphic Final Fantasy game coming out as Wii Ware there will be some sort of new storage for the Wii

I agree, but I'm more inclined to think it will be an OS upgrade to allow an SD card to be used as "direct storage" (like the internal memory) vs. a hard drive.

There are two FF games due:

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: the Crystal Bearers
System: Wii
Genre: Action-RPG
Main character: young superhero
Price: $50 at retail

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: the Young King and the Promised Land
System: WiiWare download
Genre: "country-builder" (sim-style)
Main character: boy king
Price: 1500 Wii Points ($15)

Since the WiiWare is a "Sims" style game with likely a limited environment, I'm figuring they can pack it into solid state storage with some clever compression.

Ever seen Resident Evil on the N64? They even packed in the exact same FMV as the (disk based) PS version (albiet sampled way down).

It just seems like a HD peripheral is a costly (please don't quote MO prices, the target demo will buy at retail) and complex add-on for the Wii market - and to require this for $15 game downloads? Seems like a misstep in the business model.

But hey, I'm up for anything, I've got a couple of 250GB's externals just sort of hanging out with nothing valuable on them

~DT

 

[KrisKhaos]

It just seems like a HD peripheral is a costly (please don't quote MO prices, the target demo will buy at retail) and complex add-on for the Wii market - and to require this for $15 game downloads? Seems like a misstep in the business model.

Going to have to disagree there. The cost factor could be waved, as the drivers required to utilize USB mass storage are pretty much standard and open source. If Nintendo so wishes to slip in there own brand name version, then I am sure that some 3rd party manufacturer of current USB hard drive enclosures would be willing to stick the Nintendo name on it for a few extra sales and cut Nintendo a piece of that pie in the process.

What is stopping them is unknown, my guess is development time, as issues of cost and piracy it is not an issue. If fear of piracy was a case they probably would not enabled SD backups, however the the non-copyable 1 block save file on the 512MB internal memory per VC and channels has prevented mass distribution of them illegally. A hard drive can function the same, still using that one block save file while the bulk of it is dumped to our SD cards and hard drives.

The games seem like pretty simple designs that wouldn't require much storage space, *but* I could see a simple patch that allows accessing the SD slot for direct play (vs. the current implementation of using it for backup).

I have no doubt that it's going to eventually require SD direct play, and agree totally here, however I wouldn't doubt if Nintendo doesn't slip in the optional HDD support at this time as well. I don't think we will see a branded Nintendo USB HDD, but other than taking the time to add it I just don't see any delimiting factors preventing it's integration.

Programming is VERY time consuming, and really I think Nintendo is busy working on increasing it's game library so it can compete with the 360's one year head start. I know they say they arn't in competition, and maybe not direct, but they ALL are competing to keep our attentions.

 

[[DT]]

Programming is VERY time consuming

Yes it is, especially when the DOJ makes the specifications a moving target.

Wait, did I say that? :smilewinkgrin:

 

[[DT]]

FWIW, the part of my discussion that's critical is the 'business model' part - I don't see Nintendo requiring an expensive peripheral for supporting $15 games.

Can it be done? Pretty easily (I've written low level interface drivers for monitoring equipment for power and waste water management, not a big deal) since it's just building a "driver" so to speak like they did for the KB interface.

Will it be done? I'm sure it's on deck - especially with the expansion of the machine to more of an "internet appliance".

However, my contention was the requirement of the HD for up and coming WiiWare. Unless there is major development that breaks the internal storage (which wouldn't take too much) and goes behond the cheap SD storage mark (say 2GB?) then I don't see a huge market for pushing HD support.

Johnny: "Hey Mom, there's this neat new game out for the Wii!"

Mom: "Terrific, how much is it?"

Johnny: "$15 and it looks real keen!"

Mom: "Well, yeah that's not too bad."

Johnny: "It also requires a $100 external WiiDrive..."

Mom: "Forget it. Go mow the lawn.

 

[KrisKhaos]

FWIW, the part of my discussion that's critical is the 'business model' part - I don't see Nintendo requiring an expensive peripheral for supporting $15 games.

Ahhh... "required", sure - absolutely not. Which is why I believe it is going to happen they will include it as an option along with the SD Card as well.

Will it be done? I'm sure it's on deck - especially with the expansion of the machine to more of an "internet appliance".

Exactly, which is probably why there is a delay in including such, look how long it took them to add full keyboard support!

The system was designed thinking that the 512MB would be more than enough for most, and the SD cards would expand that to unlimited storage for everyone else. Not only did they not expect there Wii to be as popular as it is now, they didn't expect the overwhelming success of the Wii or it's Shop Channel either. Now I believe it is just a matter of time before the outcry for a larger storage (or multiple optional storage) to be put into place and utilized, but to do that would require quite a lot of a design change to support it.

Rumor has it that one of the version updates included temporary USB HDD support when the SD was not present in the slot, this could or could not be true since they did sneak in partial USB kb support in 3.00U, however most the reported tests of this returned false. Not a bad idea however, remove the SD card to drop to the USB HDD instead, however transfers to and from SD to HDD would be annoying. The best method I believe is to add another storage tab on the file manager as well as another source option on the Photo Channel.

Even then what about other USB devices? What if more than one is plugged in? Nintendo probably only briefly considered it, and thought they'd deal with it *IF* they decided to invest more into it depending on it's success. I still don't think they considered such storage options, or thought all but a handful would want such a thing. Time will tell if we see it or not.

Mom: "Terrific, how much is it?"

Johnny: "$15 and it looks real keen!"

Mom: "Well, yeah that's not too bad."

Johnny: "It also requires a $100 external WiiDrive..."

Mom: "Forget it. Go mow the lawn.

lol... I agree, forcing a drive on us would not work. Sliding in the option however, isn't a bad idea. Thanks for clearing up what you meant.

 

[Link_of_Hyrule]

I think that if Nintendo could have a firmware upgrade to allow direct play from SD cards and if it doesn't already have the ability to read SDHC cards add that in this would maybe solve the problem but SDHC cards although they will have 32gb ones out in January will still have a nice $100+ price but I also find it highly likely Nintendo will enable USB storage devices as they have earlier this year hired a company to develope software for a file system to work on a such a device I wish I could link you to this news bulletin im sure its somewhere in the forums i know it was posted before.

EDIT: found this old news article http://www.nintendic.com/news/777

Later on in the interview, Fils-Aime discusses the upcoming Wii Ware, which will allow independent developers the chance to develop for the Nintendo Wii. He noted that Nintendo had been overwhelmed with requests for the $2000 USD kits, that Nintendo will not vet the downloadable games and on the issue of extra memory - a hard drive, perhaps - for Wii to hold them all on, he added, “Could there be a market for a Wii hard drive? There certainly could be.”

EDIT 2:
Found what I was looking for heres the link

http://www.cubed3.com/news/7212/1/Official_Mass_Storage_USB_for_Wii

 

[MRCOOLGH]

There is a 50-50 chance of having a wii hardrive or the ability to use the one we want because I could buy a 500gig external hardrive for what like 100-120 which is extremely cheap for something that can hold so much information.

 

[Link_of_Hyrule]

I got a case from an external dvd burner and when it broke I put my hard drive into it instant usb hard drive

 

[Bridgemute]

Yeah, its still really hard to say if a 2GB SD card will be enough to accompany the existing space on the wii. I don't think it will considering people are already running out of space...and the n64 games take up 250 blocks I think. I could only imagine how much that Final Fantasy Wii-ware game will take up...and if people want more than one? wow...you're gonna need some space. I really hope Nintendo has some amazing plans for this soon